Happy birthday to my dear friend Hiyas!

First time writing this pairing, even though I've shipped it for eons. I'm not that good at writing fluff, but hopefully you enjoy.

Follow your inner moonlight (Don't hide the madness)

Is this childish?

She asked herself over and over while clutching her broom to her chest and crouching down on the floor, away from the windows, completely hidden in shadow.

Rei didn't want to admit it, but hiding from the guy who continuously kept, what was the word, flirting? with her was pretty juvenile.

It wasn't like she hated the guy… Well, not anymore at least. He had proven where his loyalties lay a long time ago, after he had been resurrected by the Golden Crystal. And besides, Usagi and Mamoru would be saddened if all of their friends didn't get along and lived in perfect harmony together (damn lovey-dovey idiots).

Still friendship was one thing, being too friendly was another puddle of mud altogether.

So she hid.

Rei avoided Jadeite wherever and whenever she could, and when she would be forced to be in the same room as the Shitennou, her eyes would wander anywhere but in his direction. Not that she was shy or anything, God no, it was just that she knew – felt – his burning eyes would never deviate from hers. And the way he looked at her, his face impassive and cold as ice but his gaze eternal fire, sent shivers down her spine.

Whether those feelings were as negative as to require hiding herself like a child during a thunderstorm, Rei wasn't sure, but she would rather not risk becoming too accustomed to his persistent gaze than seem like some reclusive weirdo.

Just as she was making up her mind to never make herself seen in his presence again, a croaky old unwanted voice shrieked in her ear, followed by the temple door sliding open and her heart sinking.

"Rei!" the voice of her grandfather pierced her ear and she immediately apologized to God for the vulgar thoughts that had just dashed through her brain.

"Rei, this nice young man here has been trying to get in the temple for the better part of an hour, what in the Lord's name do you think you're doing making him wait outside?!" the old man cried and then turned to the guest and bowed his bald head apologetically. "I'm terribly sorry for my granddaughter's carelessness, please accept a nice hot cup of tea as an apology. "

The visitor, a stunningly handsome young man in his early twenties, with short wavy blond hair that sparkled in the sunlight and eyes of the deepest shade of blue, smirked in a way that betrayed his almost angelic appearance.

"That would be lovely, sir. Thank you." His voice was like honey, but she knew that underlying victorious tone from anywhere.

But all the miko could do was close her eyes and wait for her sentence.

"I would gladly keep you company son, but I have a meeting with my chiropractor in twenty minutes," the old man cackled, his hand moving to his lower back to make a show of his old age – Rei knew he was just being lazy – "but my granddaughter will be happy to serve you, right Rei?"

And there it was.

The brunette gritted her teeth, but nodded. "Yes grandfather."

"How hospitable of you," Jadeite chuckled after the old man had left and they had settled themselves at the table. He accepted the tea Rei placed, or rather slammed, before him with a gracious nod, ignoring her fuming anger like it was a light breeze on an early spring day.

"You seem to be in a chipper mood," he added, and Rei could practically feel his sarcasm poke her in the eye. She wouldn't dignify it with an answer.

For some reason, she was always reserved in his presence; words never come together as they should and her voice was never quite the right pitch. With all her might, the miko had tried to attribute this strange behavior to her usual retention towards males, but even so, she had never felt weak and bare before a man before like she did before him. It was like, before his eyes, she had no secrets, no cover, everything was exposed and he could read it all at a simple glance. It terrified her.

"Miss Rei," the Shitennou spoke softly, startling her. To her terror, she realized he had moved slightly closer and was now sat at an arm's reach from her.

"How much do you remember of your previous life?"

The question took her by surprise.

"N-not much. Bits and pieces. Most of my memories involve the Princess and the fall of the Silver Millennium."

"…I see."

For a moment, Jadeite lowered his gaze and Rei was bewildered to realize he was sad.

"What about you?" An ache somewhere deep inside prompted her to ask.

He raised his head and she was caught in the whirlwind of his gaze, freezing and lighting her aflame at the same time in such a way that she could not move.

"I remember a princess." He spoke softly, patiently, as if this story had been on the tip of his tongue for such a long time that he wanted it to be worded perfectly. "She was wise and stoic, always secluded, rarely showing her face to others than those in her court and even more rarely did she ever smile." Then he chuckled and there was such a gentle, serene look in his eyes that her breath was swiftly taken from her.

"But when she did smile, there was no lady more beautiful or more glorious than she." Jadeite sighed and lowered his head once again to stare at his crossed legs. "I loved her. I loved her with such passion and need I felt I could not breathe."

Rei swallowed. "Did she love you back?"

"I think so. She never admitted to it, no matter how many times I asked, but I think she loved me as well."

"How did you know?" Rei lowered her own gaze, somehow unable to look at the man beside her any longer. What she needed was to get her heart to calm down before it would break out of her chest and to stop the heat that spread throughout her body before she would catch fire.

"I just knew." She noticed him moving from the corner of her eye. "No matter how much she hid, no matter how much she avoided me, or how much she denied it, love as strong cannot be concealed, especially by someone who had passion flowing through her veins. She loved me."

The miko jumped when a large warm hand covered hers.

Willing herself to look up, she found Jadeite right beside her, staring down at her so ardently she could feel the energy emanating from him taking her breath away, rendering her unable to move, let alone speak.

"Rei."

The way he said her name made her entire being quake.

She wondered if he noticed the trembling of her body, if he knew just how anxious he was making her and how fast her heart was beating inside her chest. Yes, he probably knew. Yet why she didn't run away or banish him, the girl couldn't understand.

Slowly, Rei watched the blond come nearer, until her personal space was almost entirely breached. His face was close, too close, and it was getting closer.

Closer.

Closer.

"Rei," he stopped suddenly and she could feel the heat of the word on her lips.

"If I were to kiss you now… would you reject me afterwards?"

As she looked into her own reflection in Jadeite's clear, always serious and always impassioned eyes, she could find no answer.

"Rei?" he asked, burning her with his eager gaze.

No sound would come out.

As he had not received neither a 'Yes' or a 'No', Jadeite seemed to make up his mind, and even slower than before, closed the remaining distance between them and took her lips with his.

Rei's whole world imploded at that moment. She no longer knew what was up and what was down, what was what and what wasn't. Rhyme and reason became a cacophony of ringing and pounding in her ears, and her vision became so blurred she shut her eyes tightly, overwhelmed by it all.

His lips were so soft as they pressed down feathery kisses on her own. She could feel the warmth of his breath as he exhaled out his nostrils and onto her burning cheek.

An involuntary whimper went past her lips and while it made her want to die of embarrassment, it only made Jadeite more confident. She felt his hand grasp the back of her head, tangling his fingers between her long, ebony black hair, and pulled her towards him, until she stumbled into his lap and only by resting his hands on his chest did she manage not to topple over.

His lips moved faster than before, every now and then alternating between running his tongue and lightly biting down on her lower lip. It made her head spin and she had to grasp the fabric of his shirt into her fists to keep herself grounded.

Taking his example, and realizing he was not planning on stopping anytime soon, nor that she would find the strength or will to make it stop, Rei began breathing through her nose and completely surrendered to his arms.

Inexperienced and still frightened, all she could do was let him direct her, leaving her pride aside if only for this one moment in their too long lives. She tilted her head when she felt his hand pull her to the side; she opened her mouth when his tongue sought entrance and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders when his own slithered around her waist.

She could feel their bodies burning with centuries' worth of desire and for the first time she realized that Jadeite had been right: she had loved him. Always had and always will, no matter how many times they would die and be reborn. She loved him.

Rei didn't know what would happen once their kiss would end, but she knew for certain they would slowly, very slowly, begin the journey towards their next.